Main navigation of MELANOCYTE PATHOLOGY.COM

Clinical information

Diagnosis:

Spitzoid superficial spreading melanoma

Comments:

SPITZOID MELANOMA
Since Spitz naevus resembles melanoma more closely than other naevus types (Sophie Spitz originally considered them to be melanomas that, for some reason, did not manifest their malignant potential in children), it follows that melanomas not uncommonly resemble Spitz naevus.
If the resemblance is striking, such melanomas are sometimes referred to as 'spitzoid melanomas'. Since this resemblance is independent of other parameters that allow subtyping of melanoma, there are spitzoid superficial spreading melanomas, spitzoid nodular melanomas, etc.

The spitzoid appearance does not have a bearing on the melanoma in terms of biological behaviour (as is the case here), with one important exception: in young (prepubertal) children: spitzoid tumours with deep bulky nodular and mitotically active outgrowth spread to regional nodes but rarely metastasize to distant sites. Such tumours, which have a substantially better prognosis that usual melanoma subtypes of similar thickness, are subject of controversy regarding appropriate terminology. See for instance Case 14 of this slide set.

Tell a friend:

Tell a friend

Dear {friend_name},
{url}
I believe this website may be of interest to you. It is an Open Educational Resource, containing a large collection of digitized histologic slides with explanatory films and other materials, aimed at surgical pathologists, dermatopathologist and pathologists in training. This site is entirely based on consultation materials of professor Wolter Mooi, VU University Amsterdam, and can be used free of charge.
Kind regards,
{my_name}